


Scientifically Improbable

by BehindFlickeringLampposts



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Best Friends, F/M, Feelings, First Meetings, Fiveya Week 2019, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Moving In Together, Talking, Teenagers, and vanya is having none of that shit, but they become kinda friends, five kinda stalks her at the beginning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 18:21:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20451512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BehindFlickeringLampposts/pseuds/BehindFlickeringLampposts
Summary: He’d been following her for thirty minutes, curious about the most elusive member of the famous Umbrella Academy and where would she spend her Friday night.He knew, logically, that it was idiotic and downright creepy, but he had always been curious about the last member, the one that would hide from reporters and blush prettily when asked questions.He caught a glimpse of dark hair fluttering in the wind as she entered one of the many alleys on the street and immediately mimicked her only to be slammed roughly in a brick wall.“Why are you following me?”August 27: No Powers AU (a little bit later than expected)





	Scientifically Improbable

He’d been following her for thirty minutes, curious about the most elusive member of the famous Umbrella Academy and where would she spend her Friday night. He knew, logically, that it was idiotic and downright creepy, but he had always been drawn to the last member, the one that would hide from reporters and blush prettily when asked questions. It was cute and kind of funny, for someone so extraordinary to be shy in front of people that were so painfully ordinary.

Still, the enigmatic Number Seven — _in the order that Sir Reginald Hargreeves had released to the press when the Academy made its debut_ — didn’t show the same love for being the centre of attention her siblings displayed. Of course, he knew it could all be an act, but that was the whole point of playing stalker for the night, wasn’t it? Discover more about Seven and the improbability of her powers — _besides the fact that it kept him away from his own house, which was always a plus. _

He caught a glimpse of dark hair fluttering in the wind as she entered one of the many alleys on the street and immediately mimicked her only to be slammed roughly in a brick wall.

“Why are you following me?”

She wasn’t wearing the mask, he noticed dumbly. She wasn’t wearing the mask, and she was so tiny up close it was almost ridiculous. Almost, because the fierce glare she was giving him, eyes glowing white, made up for it. Snarling, Seven let him go, distaste lacing her features and dripping heavily from her words when she spoke.

“A fan?” She asked, brushing away the dust from her skirt and coat.

He wasn’t, not really anyway, but he still nodded, too entranced by her eyes slowly darkening till they reached their normal — _he supposed_ — brown colour to answer properly.

“Ah… no. Not exactly. Just curious.” Five admitted, snapping out of whatever the hell _that_ had been.

“About what?” Seven asked and now she sounded curious if not baffled. As if she hadn’t realised how intriguing the public found the White Violin.

“Your birth and powers are scientifically improbable, if you hadn’t noticed.”

Seven raised her eyebrows and scrunched up her nose a little — _it wasn’t cute, not at all_ — looking more amused than annoyed by his arrogance.

“Not impossible?”

“It happened, didn’t it? It wouldn’t be that strange if it happened again, however improbable that might seem.” He huffed, squaring his shoulders.

“Well, while I would be honoured to… satisfy your curiosity, I have to go now. Maybe some other time, alright?”

Five ignored the sarcasm behind her words to smile brilliantly at her. So he was kind of a jerk, sue him.

“Great, see you tomorrow here, then. Same hour?” He asked, relishing in the shocked look that took over her face.

“Wait, I didn’t mean-”

“Well, I must get going now.” Five concluded, nervously glancing at his wrist watch — _late, he was **latelatelate**_ — and sprinting away without giving any mind to her protests.

“Well, fuck.” Whispered Vanya under her breath.

She wasn’t going to show up and that would be it. Yes, that was what she was going to do, and she most certainly wasn’t going to feel bad about not going along with some crazy guy that followed her for nearly thirty minutes.

She wasn’t.

Vanya felt guilty.

It was raining outside, and he certainly looked crazy enough to wait in the bad weather just to see if she would show up.

“Just go and stop moping.” Ben said suddenly, looking up at her from his book.

“But I-”

“I swear Vanya,” he glared at her, evidently having gotten tired with her behaviour, “if you don’t go right now I will release the Horror on you.”

“Bring it on, Six.” She muttered, already shrugging on her coat picking up her umbrella.

Before leaving, she grabbed another one, just in case.

He was leaning on the wall with his eyes closed, dripping wet.

“I knew you wouldn’t bother with an umbrella.” She said, smiling bashfully when he opened his eyes to look at her.

“And I knew you would come,” He replied with a smirk, “I’m Five, by the way.”

“Wait. The dude whose mother-”

“…said her son’s birth was 'miraculous' like yours to get the money and not have to take care of her baby? Yeah, that’s mom,” He said, bitterness colouring his voice, “She didn’t bother with changing my name after Hargreeves gave me back so legally I’m still Number Five. But she did change my surname so maybe she just liked it.” He added sarcastically.

“Oh.” Vanya said, speechless.

The air was tense, the finality of his words — _the helplessness behind the apparent indifference_ — making her feel awkward and guilty for bringing it up. She coughed a little.

“You said you had questions to ask me?”

His face cleared, and he nodded, obviously grateful for the change of subject.

“Yeah, so…”

Mother was snoring on the couch when he got home, the house more of a mess than it hadn’t already been before he left. Sighing, Five left his new umbrella by the door and grabbed a broom, still thinking about Seven and her unusual powers.

At least it was worth it, he thought, throwing away the remaining of a broken syringe and grimacing as his mother fell from the sofa and ended up face first on the floor, still deeply asleep.

He’d get out of this house, someday. That was the only thing that kept him going.

From then on, every Thursday he was back in the alley, chatting amiably with Seven — _Vanya_ — and sharing their miserable home life and dreams.

Ironically, the only time she didn’t show up was on their eighteen birthday. He waited for hours, barely shielded by the black umbrella she gave him three years before, and felt his heart sinking with every passing second. At midnight, annoyed and miserable, he resolved to put the box containing the gift he meant to give her back into his pocket and walked home slowly. Not at all eager to face his mother yet again —

** _“I swear if you miss one of our meetings-” _ **

** _“Chill, Van, I won’t. It’s not like I’m fond of being at home, anyway. You, however-” _ **

** _“Shut it, I’m reliable, you ass.” _ **

“Hi!” exclaimed Vanya, all flushed cheeks and bright eyes, the next Thursday.

“You didn’t come.” Snapped Five harshly instead, completely ignoring the way his heart had missed a beat at the sight.

Under his eyes, Vanya wilted, eyes downcast with shame, and he could practically see the apologies that were about to leave her lips.

“I’m sorry, I…” she sighed, playing nervously with a strand of long hair “Your gift took more time than I thought it would.”

Five narrowed his eyes, watching Seven become more and more amused with his behaviour even as tense as she was —

** _“You would be a cat.” _ **

** _“What are you blathering about?” _ **

** _“If you were an animal, you’d be an asshole cat.” _ **

**_“Where did that thought even come from, it's completely ridiculous.”_ **—

“Show me.”

They walked until Vanya stopped in front of a building for no apparent reason and started to ramble.

“I wanted to give you something significant but I didn’t know what so… here.” With that, she handed him a key.

Dumbfounded, Five stared and then tried to understand exactly what that meant.

“A key.”

“It comes with an apartment.” She said helpfully “It took some time to get it and it’s not the best but… we both found part-time jobs last year, so I thought… we could be roommates?”

Five stared some more, swallowing and trying, without success; to voice the enormity of the feeling that small key had risen in him. Warmth oozed in his limbs; hope blooming in his chest at the thought of being finally free from the reign of terror that was his ‘home’. Blindly, he reached for her —_ his incredible best friend that had given him a** way out**_ — and hugged her tightly, smiling as her muffled laughter reached his ear.

“And what if I had planned to take my new roommate out for dinner some time?” he asked, aware of the wide smile stretching his lips and the people judging them as they passed by and not feeling much like himself at all and much more like someone with an actual _**future**_.

“Well… I think she’d say yes. If you asked nicely, of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, I pushed all my trauma on Five and that's where its staying.  
I hope you liked it and, as always, let me know if there are spelling mistakes because English isn't my first language.
> 
> Also, I just might pick this up again to give more insight as to how their relationship developed but that's still a big maybe so let me know if you think i should do it or leave it as it is.


End file.
